hat would you do if youíre
a normal, everyday nice person....as most of us are....And you encounter an amoral sociopath
who doesnít follow the rules of civilized behavior?

It would be one thing if the threat to your well-being came from someone who
carries an element of danger...but what if it were to come from someone very pleasant in
appearance and, in fact, exceptionally charismatic? One who has clearly mastered the art of
disarming oneís intended victims? And, most devastatingly, one who has absolutely decided,
for whatever insane reason, to alter your life for the worst?

As a nice person, you may first try to reason with your predator, and try to
be ďcivilizedĒ about it. As you find yourself backed more and more into a corner, you may
even try to counter-threaten your predator somehow. (That would be a lost cause for the
majority of nice people, as your predator probably has some book written on the subject....the
proverbial playing field would be far from even.) What would you do? In the movies, the answer
would be to pick up a gun and shoot the merciless creature who is trying to ruin your life.
However, in real life, unless you have been so pushed over the edge and have lost your mind,
youíd be aware of the consequences of murder....itís not really a viable option. Neither
would hiring thugs to break your predatorís legs...assuming you even know how to go about
hiring thugs; again, unpleasant consequences.

Getting the Law involved may open up a different can of bloodsucking
worms....indeed, if your predator is clever and cunning enough, there would be no technical
reason to involve the authorities.

Itís a nightmarish scenario, and if you think about it, there isnít much
you can do....when the sociopath laughs at your rules, and your reason. On the other hand, you
canít allow yourself to be pushed to the brink, as this new parasite in your life chips away
at everything that you hold dear. Youíve got to do something....but what? While youíre
trying to figure out the answer, youíre being psychologically eaten away, bit by numbing
bit. Itís the kind of situation that really goes to the core of your very existence.

The alarming thing is, in our increasingly unethical society, where keeping
oneís word means agonizingly little, and the general rule is, ďdo unto the other before
they can do unto you,Ē this scenario is not out of the realm of possibility. Yes, the
extreme example would be a rarity, but itís not that unusual to encounter people who can
cause a great deal of anxiety....from the small-minded, vindictive neighbor, to the dogmatic
ideologue who regards anyone with dissimilar views as an enemy.

As unlikely as the extreme example may be, it could happen. If it happens,
you will learn how strong you really are....where your zones of comfort and discomfort
lie....and how easily you may fall apart if a powerful and evil person tramples all over you.
As abhorrent as this situation is, and as much as you think this situation would never happen
to you, it could.